Front axle lifter for Esprits

[hspeck]

I have a X180 with the V8's bodykit.

As my apartment's basement car park is quite steep, the front bumper spoiler always scrapes the ground even without the rubber lip. 

Hence it is either I make do without the spoiler, or raise my car's height, or just park my car under the hot humid sun and rain, none of which i like to do..

I was thinking to fit an aftermarket lifter, and have looked at the ILift (https://iliftsystems.com/) which has had great reviews, but it was not suitable as their actuator cannot fit the Esprit's front shock mounting point. 

Anyone has considered doing this, or fitted one to their Esprit?

 

 

 

[Chillidoggy]

Maybe try a pair of shaped ramps first? If it's only just scraping, they may not have t be that big to do the job.

I noticed that your suspension is missing its camber plate on the inboard side.

[hspeck]

16 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

Maybe try a pair of shaped ramps first? If it's only just scraping, they may not have t be that big to do the job.

I noticed that your suspension is missing its camber plate on the inboard side.

hi, you mean shaped ramps to the basement parking? I don't think my building management will allow that.

I do not understand which camber plate you are referring to. I am using an adjustable wishbone to adjust the camber and last checked it was within spec at -0°41' and -0°39'

[hspeck]

this was the effect the last time i used the basement carpark

[ChrisJ]

5 hours ago, hspeck said:

I don't think my building management will allow that

It doesn't hurt to ask - show them the above picture.

[Chillidoggy]

6 hours ago, hspeck said:

hi, you mean shaped ramps to the basement parking? I don't think my building management will allow that.

I do not understand which camber plate you are referring to. I am using an adjustable wishbone to adjust the camber and last checked it was within spec at -0°41' and -0°39'

Maybe the X180 has different top wishbone arms. Sorry, but I should have said camber adjustment plate. The brass coloured plate is what I was talking about. There are variations on the theme.

[andydclements]

Regards the original problem, there is an Esprit (S3 or Turbo, I cannot recall exactly) with air lift suspension fitted. It was mainly to give really lowered look when parked, but I think the same could be used here to lift (it will give dramatically odd camber but that doesn't matter for getting over speed bumps or into the car park).

[cor]

it is in this thread i think.

 

 

[Kevin Wheeler]

Presumably you have tried using the going in at an angle trick?

[hspeck]

18 hours ago, ChrisJ said:

It doesn't hurt to ask - show them the above picture.

Knowing the building's management committee, it will be a total waste of time. hahha

17 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

Maybe the X180 has different top wishbone arms. Sorry, but I should have said camber adjustment plate. The brass coloured plate is what I was talking about. There are variations on the theme.

I am not sure, but I am using an aftermarket adjustable upper wishbone, so it might be different from yours

17 hours ago, andydclements said:

Regards the original problem, there is an Esprit (S3 or Turbo, I cannot recall exactly) with air lift suspension fitted. It was mainly to give really lowered look when parked, but I think the same could be used here to lift (it will give dramatically odd camber but that doesn't matter for getting over speed bumps or into the car park).

 

17 hours ago, cor said:

it is in this thread i think.

 

 

thanks, I will take a look at the thread

5 hours ago, Kevin Wheeler said:

Presumably you have tried using the going in at an angle trick?

yes, I have used the angle approach trick... I used it for most of my cars previously, but at spec height of 170mm the Esprit is much lower than my other previous cars.. and as I am considering fitting the rubber lip, the issue will be worse

[Chillidoggy]

Unless I’m mistaken, your aftermarket adjustable wishbone looks the same as a later car original. Do you know who supplied them?

[hspeck]

1 hour ago, Chillidoggy said:

Unless I’m mistaken, your aftermarket adjustable wishbone looks the same as a later car original. Do you know who supplied them?

iirc i bought it from SJ

[Chillidoggy]

5 minutes ago, hspeck said:

iirc i bought it from SJ

This one?

 

[andydclements]

If so, then the bits "missing" are in those little poly bags. You can make them they are pretty much just a square of metal with an off-centre hole.

[Chillidoggy]

Andy, not all are offset. There are four different sized adjustment plates available, 10.5mm, 11.5mm, 12.5mm and 14.0mm. The last three have offset holes, the first is central.

I wouldn't want to make them for what they cost, but I guess some might.

[Bazza 907]

Couple of bits of wood that you keep in the back of the car and take out every time you leave or arrive at the basement car park?

[Chillidoggy]

1 minute ago, Bazza 907 said:

Couple of bits of wood that you keep in the back of the car and take out every time you leave or arrive at the basement car park?

Just what I was thinking!

[hspeck]

On 05/03/2021 at 17:18, Chillidoggy said:

This one?

 

Sorry for the late reply.. have been very busy lately

yep, should be it

 

On 05/03/2021 at 19:34, andydclements said:

If so, then the bits "missing" are in those little poly bags. You can make them they are pretty much just a square of metal with an off-centre hole.

 

On 05/03/2021 at 20:56, Chillidoggy said:

Andy, not all are offset. There are four different sized adjustment plates available, 10.5mm, 11.5mm, 12.5mm and 14.0mm. The last three have offset holes, the first is central.

I wouldn't want to make them for what they cost, but I guess some might.

I am not sure why 'missing' bits were not used, but I passed the alignment shop some shims when i send it for alignment.. 

If the alignment specs are correct it wouldn't matter, or will it??

On 05/03/2021 at 21:11, Bazza 907 said:

Couple of bits of wood that you keep in the back of the car and take out every time you leave or arrive at the basement car park?

 

On 05/03/2021 at 21:12, Chillidoggy said:

Just what I was thinking!

Good idea, but probably not very practical as many of the car parks in my country are basement carparks.. hahaah

 

And I have taken a look at this thread...

On 04/03/2021 at 17:13, cor said:

it is in this thread i think.

 

 

it seems that the car in that thread is using an airbag suspension. I am not sure if there is one that will fit my X180 and if it will still maintain the handling if fitted...

[andydclements]

3 minutes ago, hspeck said:

........it seems that the car in that thread is using an airbag suspension. I am not sure if there is one that will fit my X180 and if it will still maintain the handling if fitted...

The good news is that it will almost certainly fit, since the subframes and underside of the cars are very similar (there were changes but the subframe was mainly just stiffening beyond the big changes such as when it went from trunions to balljoints (Model Year 1985). You can find a bit of history if you look fro things like the "eagle"chassis", named after the Goodyear tyres that were used. That one looks to be the earlier subframe (X plate puts it before 1985) but even then the main difference was how the lower arms were kept in line, the dampers were pretty much the same just the spring perch mounted on the damper on one and on the lower arm on the other type of subframe.

As to handling, I guess it can be made to have similar bound and rebound characteristics, but that is just a guess and would probably need the manufacturer to advise.

[Chillidoggy]

"I am not sure why 'missing' bits were not used, but I passed the alignment shop some shims when i send it for alignment.." 

They didn't fit the correct plates. Or any plates for that matter.

 

"If the alignment specs are correct it wouldn't matter, or will it??"

At the moment, and without the adjustment plates, there is no positive location - the suspension is totally reliant on the two top wishbone bolts being tight enough to provide enough friction to prevent any in/out movement. With adjustment plates fitted, the issue is eliminated.

 

If you hit a pothole at speed, and those bolts slip, it won't be much fun for you. Up to you, but I would get that rectified by someone that knows what they're doing.

[Sparky]

I agree with Ian.  If I have interpreted that picture correctly, the only thing maintaining geometry is the torque on the 2 balljoint bolts - and they're not up to the job.  I wouldn't consider driving it like that.

[dclare]

Back to the original problem. 

Ive been thinking about this too as my area is a nightmare with speed bumps.

This is the kit I've been looking at as it fits at the bottom of the coil-over rather than the top like most air cup systems...

https://www.kwsuspensions.net/products/hydraulic_lift_system

 

[hspeck]

On 10/03/2021 at 17:15, andydclements said:

The good news is that it will almost certainly fit, since the subframes and underside of the cars are very similar (there were changes but the subframe was mainly just stiffening beyond the big changes such as when it went from trunions to balljoints (Model Year 1985). You can find a bit of history if you look fro things like the "eagle"chassis", named after the Goodyear tyres that were used. That one looks to be the earlier subframe (X plate puts it before 1985) but even then the main difference was how the lower arms were kept in line, the dampers were pretty much the same just the spring perch mounted on the damper on one and on the lower arm on the other type of subframe.

As to handling, I guess it can be made to have similar bound and rebound characteristics, but that is just a guess and would probably need the manufacturer to advise.

yes, I do agree it will most probably fit, but i always had the idea that air bag suspension was for stanced cars.. hahah..maybe time to reconsider that kind of thinking

 

On 10/03/2021 at 18:00, Chillidoggy said:

"I am not sure why 'missing' bits were not used, but I passed the alignment shop some shims when i send it for alignment.." 

They didn't fit the correct plates. Or any plates for that matter.

 

"If the alignment specs are correct it wouldn't matter, or will it??"

At the moment, and without the adjustment plates, there is no positive location - the suspension is totally reliant on the two top wishbone bolts being tight enough to provide enough friction to prevent any in/out movement. With adjustment plates fitted, the issue is eliminated.

 

If you hit a pothole at speed, and those bolts slip, it won't be much fun for you. Up to you, but I would get that rectified by someone that knows what they're doing.

 

On 10/03/2021 at 18:07, Sparky said:

I agree with Ian.  If I have interpreted that picture correctly, the only thing maintaining geometry is the torque on the 2 balljoint bolts - and they're not up to the job.  I wouldn't consider driving it like that.

I see...  thanks ian and gary

I will speak to them again and hear what they say, and why they did not use the shims I provided. the problem is they are the only shop who was willing to do the alignment, a few others i approached simply were not keen to have a go..

I am not sure but when I looked at the manual, the shims looks like they were supposed to be inside where the top ball joint is?

On 11/03/2021 at 01:11, dclare said:

Back to the original problem. 

Ive been thinking about this too as my area is a nightmare with speed bumps.

This is the kit I've been looking at as it fits at the bottom of the coil-over rather than the top like most air cup systems...

https://www.kwsuspensions.net/products/hydraulic_lift_system

 

i saw this too .. but it is really expensive... hahah

besides I just bought new shocks from Changes, not much money left to replace them again at the moment

[andydclements]

1 hour ago, hspeck said:

..I see...  thanks ian and gary

I will speak to them again and hear what they say, and why they did not use the shims I provided. the problem is they are the only shop who was willing to do the alignment, a few others i approached simply were not keen to have a go..

I am not sure but when I looked at the manual, the shims looks like they were supposed to be inside where the top ball joint is?

 

The square shims are not shown in that image, as it's of the non-adjustable type. For the adjustable system which you now have, they go one the outside of component F. On your version of "F" you will see there are solid blocks of metal near the elongated holes, the shims sit against those blocks, such that the molts holding the balljoint cannot move away from the centre of the car. The shims have different distance from hole to edge, that way the correct spacing can be achieved (which the alignment people have done) but also maintained.

[Chillidoggy]

1 hour ago, hspeck said:

yes, I do agree it will most probably fit, but i always had the idea that air bag suspension was for stanced cars.. hahah..maybe time to reconsider that kind of thinking

 

 

I see...  thanks ian and gary

I will speak to them again and hear what they say, and why they did not use the shims I provided. the problem is they are the only shop who was willing to do the alignment, a few others i approached simply were not keen to have a go..

I am not sure but when I looked at the manual, the shims looks like they were supposed to be inside where the top ball joint is?

i saw this too .. but it is really expensive... hahah

besides I just bought new shocks from Changes, not much money left to replace them again at the moment

 

As an observation, you do not have the Lotus factory castor shims fitted either, rather a selection of washers. These washers are substituting for the factory items, and they are at least in the right place, but you have no camber adjustment plates fitted. My suspicion is that whoever did the geometry couldn't achieve the correct camber/castor setting with the plates and shims you supplied, and simply chose to leave them out, hoping nothing will move as long as the bolts were tight enough. In my view that's a cowboy job.

As I said earlier, there are several different sizes of adjustment plates available (same for castor shims).